The DGT has announced that they have just spent 860,130 euro on portable speed detecting equipment which can be transported on the motorbikes of the Guardia Civil.
The plan to buy the equipment had already been announced some time ago, but the budget has now been allocated which has allowed the purchase of about 60 devices which will allow more speed control check points to be set up and with greater ease for the officers.
Although the information has often been misreported as the motorbikes having radar equipment installed, these devices are used by the roadside, standing on a tripod, in much the same way as some of the existing equipment, although these are small enough to be carried in the panniers of the motorbikes.
The investment was first proposed last year, based on the fact that during 2016, 300 people were killed in incidents where inappropriate speed was a factor. Budget restrictions prevented the purchase previously but now the money has been set aside and the order made, and so delivery, training and implementation of these new devices is expected to happen as soon as possible.
This is part of the overall road safety plan that will see an increase in drug controls by 50% before 2018, and for all motorbikes to carry these new speed detectors as part of their safety arsenal.
